Network Device Traffic Filtering via Destination Address and Interface
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current network devices face challenges in efficiently filtering traffic based on destination addresses, leading to unauthorized access and resource wastage due to manual configuration of firewalls, which is cumbersome, prone to errors, and impractical at scale.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a network device with a data structure, such as a forwarding information base (FIB), that associates destination addresses with authorized incoming interfaces or identifiers, allowing automatic forwarding or blocking of packets based on their destination address and incoming interface, reducing the need for manual firewall configuration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If manual firewall configuration is used to filter traffic based on destination addresses, then traffic filtering capability is provided, but the process becomes cumbersome, error-prone, and impractical at scale
Solution Approach 1:
The network device automatically performs traffic filtering by receiving packets, determining their destination addresses, identifying incoming interfaces, and autonomously deciding whether to forward or drop packets based on stored destination address information, eliminating the need for manual firewall configuration
Solution Approach 2:
The network device stores destination addresses and associated incoming interface identifiers in advance in a data structure (such as a forwarding information base), enabling automatic filtering decisions to be made without real-time manual intervention
2Reliability
If manual firewall configuration is used for traffic filtering, then basic filtering functionality is achieved, but it leads to unauthorized access and resource wastage due to configuration errors
Solution Approach 1:
The network device autonomously manages traffic filtering by automatically comparing each packet's destination address against stored destination addresses and their associated incoming interfaces, ensuring consistent and reliable access control without human error
Solution Approach 2:
The system maintains a data structure that maps destination addresses to authorized incoming interfaces, providing a reference framework that guides automatic filtering decisions and ensures packets are only forwarded when both destination address and incoming interface match authorized combinations
3Productivity
If traditional routing is used without destination-address-based filtering, then packet forwarding is simple, but unauthorized access to services occurs and computing resources are wasted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the filtering decision logic from traditional routing by separating destination address matching and incoming interface verification from standard packet forwarding, allowing unauthorized packets to be identified and dropped before they consume server resources
Solution Approach 2:
The network device performs preliminary filtering by checking whether packets are destined for authorized addresses and received on authorized interfaces before forwarding them, preventing unauthorized access attempts from reaching the server and wasting computing resources
Data Source
AI summary
In some implementations, a network device may receive one or more packets via an incoming interface of the network device. The network device may forward, or refraining from forwarding, based on a destination address associated with the one or more packets and the incoming interface of the network device, the one or more packets. The network device may receive, prior to receiving the one or more packets, route information indicating the destination address, and at least one of a set of one or more authorized incoming interfaces of the network device or a set of one or more authorized identifiers that are associated with the destination address and may save the route information in an entry of a data structure. Forwarding, or refraining from forwarding, the one or more packets may further be based on the entry of the data structure.